Operating mechanism



F. L. GORMLEY.

OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23,1919.

1,334,489., 7 Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

UNITED strA'rns T ATENT OFFICE.

FRANK I1. GORMLEY, OF BBOOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOE TO A. O. NORTON,

INC)., 015 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ACORPGRATION.

OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed July 23,

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK L. GonMnnY, citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Brookline, county of Norfolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Operating Mechanism, ofwhieh the following is a specification.

This invention relates to operating mechanism adapted for use with lifting jacks and particularly with that class of jacks whlch are known as screw jacks and are provided with means whereby the jack may be automatically lowered by the weight of the load.

The present invention has for its object the provision of means whereby the jack may be lifted by the operating handle but cannot be lowered thereby.

The invention consists in providing the operating lever with a socket having a trans verse slot in which is positioned the ratchet wheel secured to the shaft of the operating gear, and interposing between said ratchet wheel. and one wall of said slot a reciprocating pawl or wedge member having a set of teeth at one end only which teeth are adapted to be brought into position to coast with the ratchet wheel when it is desired to raise the jack.

The invention further consists in provid ing said reciprocating pawl or wedge member with a curved toothless surface at the other end which may be moved into such position relatively to said ratchet wheel that during the lowering of the load there will be no coaction between said pawl or wedge member and ratchet wheel thereby permitting the self-lowering mechanism to operate freely.

The invention further consists in providing the socket member of said operating lever with an additional pivoted pawl which may be brought into position to coact with the ratchet wheel when it is desired to impart slight rotary movement to said ratchet wheel.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and arrange ment of parts which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claims to be hereinafter given.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, one preferred form thereof is illustrated in the drawings, this form having been found to give satisfactory and reliable Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented lvlar. 23, 1920.

191a. Serial No. siasis. 1

results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged zation of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described, except as required by the scope of the appended claims.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a plan of a gear operating mechanism embodyingthe features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical section of same on line 2, 2, on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a transverse section of the same on line 3, 3 011 Fig. 2.

Fig. d represents a sectional detail showing the pawl in position to coast with ratchet wheel when the jack is being raised, and

Fig. 5 represents a similar section showing the position of the pawl when the jack is being lowered.

Similar characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings 10 is a bearing formed upon the casing of a lifting jack of any well known construction and in this hearing is revolubly mounted an operating shaft 11 the inner end of which has secured thereto the usual mechanisms for raising and lowering the ack.

As these mechanisms form no part of the present invention it is believed to be unnecessary to illustrate them.

- The shaft 11 has a reduced portion 12 having flat sides and on this portion 12 is mounted a ratchet wheel 13 positioned in a slot 14- of the socket member 15. a

This socket member 15 when in use has inserted therein a handle or lever 16, which handle may be moved by the operator to cause an oscillation of the socket member 15 about the shaft 11 upon which it is free to move in either direction, said socket member being retained in position upon the shaft 11 by means of a cotter pin or similar member 17.

The ratchet wheel 13 is provided throughout its periphery with a plurality of V- shaped teeth 18.

Interposed between this ratchet wheel 18 and one straight flat face 19 of the slot 14 is a reciprocating wedge member 20.

One face of the member 20 is fiat and bears against the flat face 19 of the slot 14,

while the opposite face is provided with a Y depression having a flat intermediate portion 21 and curved end portions 22 and 23.

The curved portion 22 is provided with a plurality of V-shaped teeth 24 while the curved portion 23 has a smooth unbroken surface; 7 r

The face of the flat portion 21 is parallel with the back face of the member 20 and normally is positioned midway of the slot 14 by means of the lockin bolt 25 the inner end of which is V-shaped and retained in the notch 26 by means of the spring 27 said member 25 from rotating about its axis and limiting its movement so that theend 26 of the member 25 never reaches the bottom of the notches29, 3,0. The socket member 15 has ears 33 on its upper face carrying a pin 34' on which between said ears 33 is mounted a pawl 35 having a tooth 36 at one end adapted to be moved into engagement with the teeth 18 of the ratchet wheel 13.

A spring 37is adapted, under normal conditions, to retain said tooth separated from said teeth 18 but when it is desired to bring said tooth 36 into engagement with said teeth, the operator presses upon the thumb 7 piece 38 formed upon the pawl 35 and moves it about the-pivot 34 against the tension of said spring 37. V

The opposite end of the pawl 35 is provided with a lateral projection 39 adapted to engage a notch 40 in the end of the handle 'on lever 16 when said end has been inserted in the socket 41 of the member 15.

The projection 39 when positioned in the notch 40 will prevent the accidental dis placement of said handle. 7 i

The tooth 36 is only engaged with the ratchet wheel 13 when it is desired to turn the shaft 11 while the handle 16 is not positioned in the socket 41, or when the wedge member 20 is not in position to engage the wheel 13,

With the handle '16 positioned in said socket 41, if it is desired to raise the jack, the member 20 is moved in itsslot 1.4 into the position shown in Fig. 4 and then when said handle 16"is moved in :thedirection of the arrow a on Fig. 2 of the drawings, the teeth 18 of ratchet wheel 13 will engage the teeth 24 of member 20and cause the member 20 to become wedged between the ratchet wheel 13 andthe wall'19.

This will insure a rotary movement of the shaft 11 every time the handle 16 is raised, the teeth 24 passing over the teeth 18 in the return movement of said handle 16 preparatory to securing another grip thereon, the member 20 moving slightly along the wall 19 during this reverse movement.

This slight movement of the member 20 to permit its teeth to pass the teeth of the ratchet wheel during the return movement is, effected by means of the slight retraction of the locking bolt 25 against the tension of the spring 27 lVhen the jack is to be lowered the member 20 is forced into the position indicated. in Fig. 5, and is retained in this position by the locking bolt 25 coacting with the notch 30.

At this time the portion 23 will be opposite the ratchet wheel and as said portion 23 has an unbroken toothless surface the ratchet wheel 13 is free to rotate without affecting the socket member 15.

hould the operator, during the automatic lowering of the jack attempt to assist in the lowering by means of the handle 16, no injury can be done to the jack as there will be no coaction between the member 20 and the ratchet wheel 13.

It is believed the operation and many advantages of the invention will be readily understood without further description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a device of the class described, an

operating shaft; an oscillating lever on said shaft provided with a socket having a transverse slot therein; a wheel within said slot secured to said shaft and provided with a serrated peripheral surface; a pawl pivoted to said socket member and normally held from engagement with said wheel; and a thumb piece projecting from said pawl whereby said'pawl may be forced into engagement with said wheel. 2. In a device of the class described, an operating shaft; an oscillating lever on said shaft provided'with a socket having a transverse slot therein; a wheel within said slot secured to said shaft and provided with a serrated peripheral surface; a pawl pivoted to said socket member and normally held from engagement with said wheel; means for forcing the tooth of said. pawl into engagement with said wheel; and an extension on the opposite end of said pawl projecting through an opening in said socket member and adapted. to lock the handle in said socket.

Signed by me at 4 Post Office Sop. Boston Mass, this 21st day of July, 1919.

FRANK L. GORMLEY Witnesses:

WALTER E. LoMBARD, EDWARD F. ALLEN. 

